Books for Kids

An irregularly updated review of current and classic children's literature.

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Dogs, Bears, Kites, and Goals-----Oh My!

Attendance was sparse at the library today, and especially for my Story Corner. At one point I only had one five year old girl and her mother listening. The girl was very interested and wanted me to keep reading, so I guess I should feel good about that. Since I was reading for the one girl, I let her pick from my larger selection of read aloud books. She picked every book on the list except Spike and Henry and the Kite Dragon.

1. Spike by Paulette Bogan
2. Where's My Teddy by Jez Alborough
3. Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall, illustrated by William Low
4. Wonder Goal by Michael Foreman
5. Giant Children by Brad Bagert

Spike is a funny story about a dog who decides he doesn't want to be a dog any more. He tries to become other animals such as a horse, a bird, and a chicken. As you can guess the results are disastrous. He eventually realizes that he does like being a dog, because he likes barking, playing Frisbee, and slurping his owner's face.

Where's My Teddy is the story of Eddie who loses his Teddy. As you can guess from just that sentence this story has lots and lots of rhyming. It is a very fast read aloud. Best for kids 3 to 6 years old.

Henry and the Kite Dragon is a story based in 1920's in New York City's Chinatown. The Chinese kites like to fly their kites off of their rooftops and scare birds. They end up getting into lots of fights with the neighboring Italian kids from Little Italy because unknowingly they have been scaring their pet birds. Both groups learn a little bit more about each other and learn about each other's traditions. A good read for kids 8 and above.

Wonder Goal is a great book for any aspiring soccer player you may know. A young boy is playing a game with his new team and he makes a "wonder goal"---the type of goal always featured in soccer posters with a diving or leaping goalie. The thoughts of the boy transition into him kicking another "wonder goal" at the World Cup final. The illustrations were wonderful, I especially liked the sketches on the inside front and rear covers of kids playing soccer around the world. I would like to see Michael Foreman incorporate those images into another story. This book would appeal to soccer players and sports fans ages 6 and up.

Giant Children is a collection of funny poems. Today I just read one funny poem about loving chocolate even the adults were laughing as I read this book.

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